The school gates are still half asleep when students start gathering with their luggage.
It's early morning — bags under eyes, coffee in hand, and way too much perfume in the air.
Ami pulls her suitcase behind her, quiet as always. She doesn't try to fit in. She just moves like someone who's already done all of this before.
She simply picks a seat by the window and sets her bag down beside her. Her mind is calm, too calm.
*Last time, I missed the entire trip babysitting Alia's mood swings. Not again.*
"Yo," a familiar voice says, dropping his bag down. "No seat left. Mind if I crash here?"
It's Dio.
Ami hesitates, just long enough to let the universe know she's annoyed.
But then she shifts her bag aside. "Sit before someone else does."
He flops into the seat, stretching his legs, and lets out a sigh of relief. "You're a lifesaver, Junior."
Ami stares out the window, trying to ignore the sudden weight in her chest. Not from Dio. From Alia — three rows up, glaring straight back at her.
*Of course you're pissed. You couldn't sit with Dio, so now I'm the target. Again.*
Ami closes her eyes for a second, then opens them when Dio speaks again.
"So," he says casually, "what's the plan for this trip? Sleep? Secret missions? More sneaking onto rooftops?"
She breathes a laugh. "Eat, walk, sleep. Repeat."
He tilts his head dramatically. "Girl. You're making this sound like a retirement tour."
Ami smirks but doesn't look at him.
Dio's voice softens. "Hey… I'll try to make your day better. Trust your senior, okay?"
She turns toward him finally. His eyes are playful but kind.
"…Can I ask you something?" Ami asks, her voice quieter than before.
"Of course," he says instantly.
She fidgets with the zipper on her jacket, then says slowly, "If someone… loves someone really deeply, but they're afraid. Afraid they'll ruin what they already have by admitting it. Afraid of the rejection, the silence, the shift… Should they still say it?"
Dio stares ahead, tapping his thumb against his knee for a few seconds.
Then he replies, voice softer than she's ever heard it:
"I think… silence is a slow death. If you love someone and never say it, you're just dying quietly every day. So yeah. I think it's better to explode, crash, burn—whatever—than to live in a cage you built yourself."
Ami doesn't say anything for a long moment. Her breath is steady, but her chest is a storm.
Then she whispers,
"Even if it ends badly?"
He nods. "Even then. Because at least you were brave. At least you lived honestly for once."
She turns to look at him — really look at him.
The sunlight cuts across his face in gold.
And all she can think is:
You died never knowing how much I loved you. Not this time.
This time, I'll change everything.
She forces a small smile. "Thanks, senior. That's… what I needed to hear."
Dio grins again, this time with a wink. "Glad my one brain cell could be useful."
Then he leans in a little, smirking.
"Don't tell anyone, but me and a few guys are sneaking a tiny drink session tonight. Our first time. Wanna join? Bring your friend. You seem like someone who needs a little trouble in her life."
Ami raises an eyebrow, finally smirking back.
"You really think I'm the type to sneak into boys' dorms?"
Dio shrugs. "I think you're full of surprises."
Ami turns back to the window, but this time, her reflection looks less lonely.
*Maybe… just this once… I'll let myself enjoy the moment.*
[Arrival – Hotel & Museum Trip]
The buses pull up to a seaside hotel — modest, sunlit, and smelling faintly of saltwater.
Students separate into rooms. Ami heads off without looking back.
An hour later, everyone gathers outside for the museum trip. It's warm. Seagulls fly overhead. The vibe is relaxed — for most people.
But Soha clings nervously to Ami's sleeve.
"Don't leave me, please."
Ami, surprisingly gentle, pats her hand. "Girl. Relax. We're gonna cause mild chaos and maybe learn one or two historic facts. Trust me."
They walk side by side through the marble hallways of the museum, their steps echoing softly.
"Soha," Ami says suddenly, "you still thinking about singing at the cultural fest?"
Soha lowers her head. "I don't know… I want to, but people like Nyra—"
"Forget Nyra," Ami cuts in, voice calm but firm. "You've got something special. One day, people are gonna be dying to say they knew you before you were famous."
Soha's eyes widen. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Ami replies, smiling.
They stop in front of a painting — a girl holding an umbrella in a storm, soaked to the bone but smiling at the clouds.
Soha whispers, "She looks brave."
"She looks fake," Ami says, not unkindly. "But sometimes faking it is the bravest thing you can do."
Soha nods, then reaches into her pocket.
"Here," she says, pulling out a thread bracelet. "I made two. Take one."
Ami stares at it.
"In my last life, I never had a real friend. Now, here she is. A future star. And I get to protect her this time."
She ties it around her wrist. "Thanks."
[Meanwhile]
Outside the museum, the students are taking selfies, chasing pigeons, or snacking on overpriced street popcorn.
Alia sits on a stone bench under a banyan tree, sunglasses perched on her head, fake laughing at something on her phone.
Nyra plops beside her, chewing gum loudly.
"So, uh… that guy who sat next to Ami. Who is he?" Nyra asks, squinting at the entrance.
Alia doesn't even glance up. "Senior. 12-A. Music Club, probably."
Nyra nudges her. "He's hot though. Didn't think your sis had the luck to pull someone like that."
Alia's lip twitches. "She didn't pull him. He just… happened to sit there. Coincidence."
Nyra raises a brow. "She's been acting weird lately. Like… all confident or something. And now she's hanging around that Soha girl?"
Alia finally looks up, her tone still calm but sharp beneath the sugar.
"Let her. A little attention doesn't mean she's changed."
Nyra snorts. "Still feels off. I thought you were the one everyone looked at."
Alia leans forward slightly, adjusting her gold bracelet.
"I am. People look when I want them to. And I don't like when someone else starts… getting in the way."
Nyra goes quiet.
Alia smiles, slow and sweet. "Just watch her. That's all."
Nyra nods. "You got it."
Then Nyra's attention shifts again.
"Anyway… did you see her with Soha? I thought she hated that girl."
Alia shrugs. "Maybe she's collecting strays now."
She stands up, brushing invisible dust off her skirt.
"But strays get left behind eventually. That's how it works."
She walks off calmly, phone in hand, voice cool and composed.